Controller for explosion-engines.



A. WINTON.

CONTROLLER FOR EXPLOSION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.13, 1909-.

1,124,931 I Patentd Jan.1-2,1915.

1 2 SHEETS-SHEBT1-'.

A. WINTON. CONTROLLER FOR EXPLOSION ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED rEB.1s,19o9.'

1 ,1 24,987. Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

rlLEXAiil'fiE-B WINTO'N, F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

oonrnonann non nKrLosron-niveruns.

original application filed December 5, 1964 Serial No. 235387.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, 19315 Divided. and this application filed February 13, 1909. Serial no. 477,607.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALEXANDER WINTON,

. a citizen of the United States, residing at i ters Patent Nos. 582,108 and. 626,122, to

Cleveland, inthe county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controllersfor Explosion-Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had there- 1nto the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in controllers for explosion engines, especially intended for controlling explosion engines of motor driven vehicles, and is a division of my application, Serial No. 235,487, filed December 5th 1904. The object of this invention is to provide ahand and a foot-throttling control for the engine of a motor vehicle, the hand control extending to the normal position of the hand of the driver of the vehicle, and the foot control in position to be operated by the foot of the driver, both combined to conjointly control the throttling means of the engine.

In the accompanying drawings Figure. l is a sectional view of my present invention, showing it in connection with a motor vehicle steering wheel stem. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the steering Wheel. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detached perspective View of the cam which is used in the hand-controh ling part of the present invention. Fig. i is a diagrammatic view of a single cylinder engine with the combined hand and foot control throttling mechanism.

For the purpose of illustration, my present improvement is here shown in connectionwith that form of engine throttling, in which the explosive inlet valve is limited in its opening movement to actas a throttle to control the explosive charge that is taken into the engine cylinder, and thus controlling the explosive force. or power within the cylinder. The principle and operation of this system of throttling an explosion engine is disclosed and describedv in my U- S. Letwhich reference is here made.

The feature of my present invention is to combine a hand-controlled device with a 'foot controlled device, both of which act conjointly and independently upon the throttling means for the purposeof enabling the driver to instantly control the speed of the engine by either the hand or foot condriving a motor vehicle, and according to the requirements of the load carrying or hill-climbing necessities, or exigencies of the peculiar conditions at the moment it is necessary to vary the speed of the engine and, therefore, vary the speedof the car; That is there are situations arising in the operation of a motor vehicle when it is necessary that bothfeet of the opcrator be used to control the vehicle, enabling one hand to be used for controlling the engine and the other the steering wheel, while there are situations and conditions requiring the use of onlyone foot of the operator, but requiring both hands for accurate and quick steering and at the same time with this improvement the foot control can be used for governing the speed of the car. So far as I. am aware, this has not heretofore been accomplished.

Referring now to the drawings here used for illustrative purposes, 7' is a casting, which has air-passages 6 and 8, that are in communication with each other at their lower ends, the passages thus being in communication with an air-pump Z) operated by the piston c of the engine a and a pipe 6, which is in communication with the chamber y in which the piston 2' moves. This piston i is fast to the stern h of the combined explosive inlet valve and controlling element 9. The. air-pressure produced by the pump 1) is forced into the chamber and serves to hold the valve 9 seated or closed against the suc tion action of the piston c. that this valve 9 is permitted to open depends upon the amount of pressure against the piston c" which is connected with the said valve 9, as above explained.

The distance A foot actuated throttle controlling device 4 is provided, and in the throttling system here shown, it is in the form of a valve 4. A hand controlled device is combined with the fo t controlled device and is here shown in the form ofa valve 5. The foot controlled device 4 is located at the floor of the vehicle and at the foot position of the driver, whereas the hand device is operated from the hand-position of the driver, 2'. a, the steering wheel, by the following con nectionsi The stem 9 of the hand controlled device 5 is suitably attached to the arrnlO and this arm is formed as a part ofor connected with a ring 11. This ring 11 is located in a groove 12 formed in a vertical movable sleeve 14:, which surrounds, the steering tube 1. Located within the steering tubel a concentrically arranged oscillating sleeve 15, which is provided with spiral slots 16. The steering tube is provided with slots 17 and passing through the sleeve 14-, the slots 17 and extending .into the spiral cam-slots 16 are the screws or pins 18. The tube 19 is attached to the sleeve .15

. and extends upward through the-steering tube 1 and projects above the upper end thereof. Connected to the projecting end of the tube 19 is a handle 20,- and this han dle projects outward and is provided with a spring pressed pawl 21, adapted to engage a notched segment 22, attached to the steer ing-wheel 2.

Then the steering wheel or tube are turned for guiding the vehicle, the sleeve 14 is turned therewith, and simply rotates within the concentrically arranged ring 11,

without imparting any motion whatever to the ring and its arm 10. When, however, the handle 20 is moved or oscillated, thus causing the sleeve 14 to move up or down, according to the'direction in which the lever 'or handleis moved, and correspondingly ,moves the hand-controlthrottle member 5,

' ping the flow of pressure thereto".

and thereby the throttlingelement of the engine, and in turn the power or speed of the engine and vehicle.

The valves 4 and 5 o erate to control or throttle the engine, as escribed in my patents hereinbefore mentionecb iThe valves 4: and 5 control the throttle of the engine by permitting the escape of pressure from the pump 1) and chamber j, and not by stop- Normally the pressure of the pump enters the chamber 7', and the valve 9 would be he d closed so that the engine would not receive an 'plosive charge, except that the hand controlled valve 5 is adjusted by the lever 20, so that thereis constantly a slight escape of pressure through the escape opening 5. In this way the speed of the engine when running idle is controlled, and the uniform speed of the engine when under load forsteady runningcan be controlledi'by hand through the leverxQO, by releasing the pressure from the chamber j, and in this way control the movement of the explosive inletvalve g. In the same way (by permittingan escape of the pressure from chamber 1') the engine is controlled by the foot button or valve 1, by permitting escape of pressure through the opening 4 when both hands of the driver are engaged, in operating the steering wheel, or the engine can be suddenly speeded by a pressure of the foot on the valve or button 4, and as suddenly re tarded by releasing the foot-button, and in each case without the operator taking his hands from the steering wheel, all of which has been already explained herein.

By combining the freely movable hand and throttle controlling devices, so that they .are common to and conjointly and inde pendently act upon and control the engine throttling element, the driver can control the power and speed of the engine, and thereby the speed of the vehicle to meet the varying conditiens, using either the hand or the foot controlling means, as maybe most convenient or required.

The hand-throttling controlling member or device can be so placed by the operator as to meet the speed and load-carrying requirements, under which the engine is working, at any given time, and to, if desire d,'more suddenly control the engine throttling el'e ment for quickly increasing the power of the engine and the speed of the engine, the necessity for which is continuously arising, and especially in 'city use of motor vehicles; or decrease the speed of the hand device; and use either the hand or foot throttlecontrolling device, or both simultaneously as conditions require, or the foot control leaving both hands for quick and accurate steering. In either case, the two controlling devices are common to and conjolntly act to control the engine controlling element.

The hand controlled'device is more capable of a nice adjustment to meet the requirements of loading at any given time for the desired speed of road travel, since the foot The two, there-- Having thus described myinvention, what is claimed and desired tobe secured by Letters Patent, is v 1. In an automobile, the combination with 'an explosion engine throttling element, of

a movable hand throttle regulating device,

and a foot operated throttle regulating device, each of said devices arranged to independently operate the throttling element from a minimum position to a greater open position independently of each other, whereby with the two devices set at their mini mum positions they are each movable independently to regulate the throttling element to a greater open position without moving I the other device from its minimum position to vary the speed and power-of the engine to meet the varying engine load under varying conditions. 7

2. In an automobile, the combination with an explosion engine throttling element, of a movable hand throttle regulating device,

- and a movable foot throttleregulating de;

vice, each adapted to regulate independently the throttling element from minimum to maximum upon said throttle to vary the speed and power of the engine to meet the variable engine load under varying condipendently the throttling element from the v3. In anautomobile, the combination with an explosion engine throttling element of separately operative hand and-foot throttle regulating devices, one of said devices.

adapted to be adjusted to control the throttling element for minimum engine speed and both of said devices regulating indeminimum speed to the maximum speed.

4:. In an automobile, the combination with an explosion engine throttling element, of a movable hand throttle regulating device 1 adapted to regulate the throttling element for minimum speed of the engine and a foot operated throttle regulating device, the hand and foot devices adapted to independently regulate the throttle from minimum to maximum speed.

i I 5.'In an automobile, the combinationwith an explosion engine throttling element, of a movable hand vthrottle. regulating device, and a foot operated throttle regulating 'device, each of said devices arranged to operate the throttling element from minimum to maximum positions, the foot operated device operating the throttling element from minimum to maximum independent of the,

hand device. o

6. In an. automobile, the combination with an explosion engine throttling element, of a movable hand throttle regulating device and a movable foot. operated throttle regulating. device, the foot device regulating the throttling element from minimum to maximum Without moving the hand device, and the hand device adapted to regulate the throttle element from minimum to maximum conjointly with the foot device.

7 In an automobile, the combination with an explosion engine throttling element, of a' movable hand throttle regulating device, and a movable foot operated throttle regulating device, one of said devices regulating the throttling elementlfrom minimum to maximum independent of the other. device,

to maximum and both said devices independent of any braking element whereby either of said elements may be operated to open or :lose the throttling element inde-.

pendent of the braking element.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER WINT ON.

Witnesses:

W. J. WARD,

ERLA LIGHTENBERGER. 

